Oyster Point Ferry Service to Expand Hours

The Oyster Point ferry service is expanding. (San Francisco Bay Ferry)

The San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) has announced expanded service for its Oyster Point ferry service, beginning at the end of this month.

In an announcement late last week, the agency said that, beginning April 29th, one evening east-bound trip will be added, leaving Oyster Point for Oakland and Alameda at 6:20 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Ferries will also leave Oyster Point for the East Bay at 4:20 p.m. and 5:20 p.m.

The announcement came roughly two weeks after San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phil Matier and Andrew Ross published an article explaining how taxpayers will be subsidizing the new ferry service to the tune of $100 per round-trip for the next 20 years.

“The addition of a later commuter service was based on feedback from our riders who are looking for a later evening departure from South San Francisco,” said Nina Rannells, Executive Director of the Transportation Authority, which operates the San Francisco Bay Ferry fleet, including the San Francisco to Oakland/Alameda ferry service. “We expect this additional commuter trip will eventually increase our ridership to the levels we originally project[ed.]”

According to Matier and Ross, the San Francisco to Oakland/Alameda service receives a public subsidy of $16 per round-trip.

WETA is also introducing twice-weekly leisure service from Oyster Point to the San Francisco ferry building and Pier 41.